It can feel easier to follow the norm than to initiate change. What happens when you innovate from within? Does your company encourage expansion?

It’s more fun to think outside of the box. This means looking for opportunities to expand within your career and industry. These opportunities are for everyone and don’t necessarily need to take a great deal of time and focus. While your competition is doing things the same way as always, what would happen if you personally took a risk?

For example, you say that networking is not your thing. (I know how few of you in major corporations actually get out on a regular basis!) What would happen if you not only joined a networking group, but became part of a committee? What if within your new committee, you took a leadership role on a subcommittee you help to form?

The result would be getting to know others outside of your own company and collaborating on projects of interest to you within your professional community.

Following this example, you have nothing to lose and everything to gain by expanding your role within either your current company or industry. By taking on more and achieving visibility, your entire world expands.

Follow your passion. Take action. Your career will expand while you work for a bigger cause.

According to a study released in March 2008 by the National Foundation for American Policy, there are an estimated 140,000 posted jobs for skilled labor available at S&P 500 companies. This, of course, does not include positions at fast-growth firms, small businesses, associations, educational institutions and government organizations.

In addition, some open positions are posted for six months or longer.

At Tech Exec Partners, we receive hundreds of résumés for every position. All companies with posted open positions do, too.

Positions are not getting filled because hiring managers seem to have a disconnect with the ability to access talent pools. Companies are dragging their feet, whether this is because they are stalling in a weak economy and don’t want to spend the money at this time, OR because they have a generally slow bureaucratic pace to their hiring practices. Very qualified candidates often slip through the cracks because life will not wait.

Individual managers within companies seem to be afraid to make hiring mistakes. Unless a candidate’s résumé looks exactly like the posted job, overqualified (aka – age discrimination) or under qualified, the interview doesn’t happen.

While the news screams recession, full employment will create new opportunities for all.

If you are in a position to hire, you have projects that need to get done. What are you waiting for?

If you’re indecisive, there is no risk. Hire on a contract or contract-to-permanent basis.

Your country needs you to start hiring. Hire someone already! That’s patriotism. And good sense!